Vegan bánh mì sandwich

Pungent, flavor-packed sandwiches always speak to me.

(That’s why vegan reubens hold such a soft spot in my heart.)

Vegan bánh mì has a similar balance of salt, fat, and acid going on.

Bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich with French touches. It first came about as a street food in Saigon in the 1950’s.

The thing that I love about bánh mì sandwiches is that it’s not just about the meaty element.

The fresh salad aspect plays every bit of important a role in keeping the whole thing balanced, making it a lot lighter in feel while lacking nothing in flavor.

While a traditional banh mi isn’t vegan, the meaty portion of this vegan version is Celebration Roast from Field Roast.

It’s tossed with a soy & sesame dressing, which really amps up the flavor.

This meatless sandwich is then topped with a vinegary mix of shredded Daikon radish & carrots, strips of cucumber and jalapeño pepper.

This vegan banh mi recipe is from the cookbook, Field Roast: 101 Artisan Vegan Meat Recipes to Cook, Share, and Savor by Tommy McDonald.

It is the kind of cookbook that makes you hungry just flipping through the pages.

With 101 recipes and lots of tantalizing photographs, I could basically start at one end, work my way through the other, and be a very happy vegan.

You likely already know the Field Roast brand from the vegan sausages, burgers, deli slices, frankfurters, and Chao cheeses in their line-up.

Now you can make your own sausages & roasts at home with the help of their cookbook.

Looking for a simpler route?

Many recipes, like this Vietnamese submarine sandwich, also include the shortcut option of using Field Roast products instead.

Ingredient notes

Field Roast Celebration Roast: This half pound sage & garlic roast is made of wheat. It is generally sold in the frozen section of natural grocery stores.

If you don’t have access to Field Roast, try it with seitan sausages instead.

Or use the soy sauce mixture as a marinade for super firm tofu. Marinate for about a half hour. (No need to reduce the liquid first.)

Sesame oil: A little bit goes a long way with this nutty oil.

Look for it at your favorite Asian market or near the soy sauces in the grocery store.

Seasoned rice vinegar: This mild vinegar adds tang.

Look for it with other vinegars in the grocery store or by Asian ingredients.

Roasted chili paste: Be sure to check ingredients on chili paste, as it sometimes contains anchovies and/or shrimp.

Or use gochujang, which is a fermented Korean chili paste.

Cucumber: Cut cucumber into french fry-length strips.

If you don’t have cucumber, pickle planks are also terrific.

Daikon radish: Daikon is a mild-flavored winter radish. It’s sold in Asian grocery stores, as well as natural grocery stores.

If you can’t find it, replace with a roughly equal amount of standard radishes. (If using small radishes, I recommend thinly slicing.)

Jalapeño peppers: Thin strips of jalapeños add heat & crunch.

They can also be replaced with pickled jalapeños.

Vegan mayo: Vegenaise is my favorite brand. But use whatever eggless mayonnaise you prefer.

Or if you’d like a spicy edge, slather on sriracha mayo.

French bread: Look for a French baguette that is soft & pillowy on the inside, crusty and flaky on the outside.

The Trader Joe’s baguette does a good job. An Italian-style loaf will also work.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together:

• Sesame oil
• Soy sauce or tamari
• Light brown sugar
• Seasoned rice vinegar
• Roasted chili paste
• Tomato paste
• Garlic

Bring to a low boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, combine:

• Peeled & shredded carrot
• Peeled & shredded daikon radish
• Seasoned rice vinegar

In a skillet or grill over medium-high heat, brown slices of Field Roast Celebration Roast for 3 minutes per side.

Remove from the heat and cut each slab into strips.

Toss the strips in the sauce, and return to the grill or skillet for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Lightly toast each piece of bread.

Spread the mayo on the inside of each piece of bread.

Then layer each sandwich with:

• Browned strips of roast
• Cucumber strips
• Daikon & carrot mixture
• Jalapeño
• Cilantro

This delicious sandwich is a full meal on its own with toothsome vegan meat, veggies, and bread.

However, it also works well with any of these side dishes:

• Green salad with peanut dressing
• Sugar snap peas stir-fry
• Onion rings
• Baked fries
• Sesame kale

Banh mi sandwiches are best right away, because of their mixture of hot & cold ingredients.

If storing leftovers, I recommend storing each element separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. All of the components will last 3 or 4 days.

The roast slices can be reheated in a microwave or skillet until warm.

Who doesn’t love a hearty sandwich?

These vegan sandwiches eat like a meal:

• Vegan egg mcmuffin
• Vegan French dip
• BBQ jackfruit sandwich
• Hot open faced sandwich
• Rachel sandwich
• Buffalo chickpea sandwich